A data line inductor, for which the English designation “common mode choke” is also used as an alternative, comprises a core, for example a ferrite core, on which a first wire and a second wire are wound. The data line inductor serves for transmitting differential signals, wherein the signals flow for example on the first wire as outgoing conductor from the transmitter to the receiver and on the second wire as return conductor from the receiver to the transmitter.
While the data line inductor for the transmission of differential signals is intended to act as conductor via which differential signals are intended to be transmitted with a high data rate and low damping, the transmission of common-mode signals that flow in the same direction in the first and second wires of the data line inductor is intended to be suppressed or damped by the component. For common-mode signals the data line inductor is intended to constitute a high inductance.
Furthermore, the inductive component is intended to generate no or at most a small mode conversion. This is intended to prevent a situation in which a differential-mode data signal is transmitted to the data line inductor and an interference signal is generated therefrom in the inductor. In order to transmit differential-mode signals with low or virtually no damping at all via the inductive component, the component is intended to have a low inductance (leakage inductance) in differential-mode operation for data signals and a high inductance for the transmission of common-mode signals/interference signals. In order to transmit differential-mode signals without damping or with low damping, it is demanded that the leakage inductance of the inductive component is low and the ohmic losses that occur when transmitting data signals via the inductive component are low.